FORT WORTH, Texas (Feb. 16, 2026) – SMU senior William Sides has been selected as the Ben Hogan Award’s January Golfer of the Month following committee balloting and the social media fan vote.
Sides, currently ranked No. 22 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR), won the prestigious Jones Cup Invitational by two strokes with a two-round score of 138 (-6) at the weather-shortened event. He followed that showing by claiming a share of 11th at his first college event of the spring, the Southwestern Invitational (211, +1).
For the month, the product of Tulsa, Okla., posted a 69.80 stroke average over his five rounds and collected a world-best 32.8 WAGR points.
The Ben Hogan Award Golfer of the Month selection committee is comprised of foundation members from the Ben Hogan Award and Friends of Golf as well from as the award’s selected partners. In addition, a fan vote on social media earned the top vote getter on each of the @benhoganaward social media channels a bonus committee vote.
The other finalists for the January honor were Arizona senior Filip Jakubcik and San Diego State sophomore Harry Takis.
Each May, the Ben Hogan Award Presented by Baird recognizes the top collegiate golfer considering all college, amateur and professional events played over the 12-month period. The 2026 award season runs from the 2025 NCAA Championships through the 2026 NCAA Regionals.
The Ben Hogan Award has honored the outstanding amateur collegiate golfer at Colonial Country Club since 2002. Prior to its move to Fort Worth, the original Ben Hogan Trophy was issued by Friends of Golf at Bel-Air Country Club in Los Angeles, Calif., beginning in 1990. Since 2002, the foundation has donated more than $1.3 million to charitable endeavors, providing scholarship grants to colleges as well as gifts to golf programs and organizations in need.
–www.BenHoganAward.org–
2025-26 Ben Hogan Award Golfers of the Month
June – Preston Stout, Oklahoma State
July – Jackson Koivun, Auburn
August – Jase Summy, Oklahoma
September – William Jennings, Alabama
October – Nate Stevens, Notre Dame
November/December – Jake Moffitt, Southern Miss
January – William Sides, SMU